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PART V READING COMPREHENSION
PASSAGE ONE
(1) The earliest settlers came to the North American continent to establish
colonies that were free from the controls that existed in European societies. They wanted to
escape the controls placed on their lives by kings and governments, priests and churches, noblemen and
aristocrats. The historic decisions made by those first settlers have had a profound effect on the
shaping of the American
character. By limiting the power of the government and the churches and
eliminating a formal aristocracy, they created a climate of freedom where the emphasis was on the
individual. Individual freedom is probably the most basic of all the American values. By freedom,
Americans mean the desire and the ability of all individuals to control their own destiny
without outside interference from the government, a ruling noble class, the church, or any other organized
authority.
(2) There is, however, a price to be paid for this individual
freedom: self-reliance. It means that Americans believe they should stand on their own feet, achieving both
financial and emotional independence from their parents as early as possible, usually by age 18 or
21.
(3) A second important reason why immigrants have traditionally been drawn to
the United States is the belief that everyone has a equal chance to enter a race and
succeed in the game. Because titles of nobility were forbidden in the Constitution, no formal class system
developed in the U.S.
(4) There is, however, a price to be paid for this equality of opportunity:
competition. If much of life is seen as race, then a person must run the race in order to succeed;
a person must compete with others. The pressures of competition in the life of an American begin in
childhood and continue until retirement from work. In fact, any group of people who does not compete
successfully does not fit
into the mainstream of American life as well as those who do.
(5) A third reason why immigrants have traditionally come to the United
States is to have a better life. Because of its abundant natural resources, the United States
appeared to be a “land of plenty where millions could come to seek their fortunes. The phrase “going
from rags to riches” became a slogan for the American dream. Many people did achieve material
success. Material wealth became a value to the American people, and it also became an accepted measure
of social status.
(6) Americans pay a price, however, for their material wealth: hard work.
Hard work has been both necessary and rewarding for most Americans throughout their history. In some ways, material possessions are seen as evidence of people’s abilities. Barry Goldwater, a
candidate for the presidencyin 1964, said that most poor people are poor because they deserve to be. Most
Americans would find
this a harsh statement, but many might think there was some truth in it.
(7) These basic values do not tell the whole story of the American character.
Rather, they should be thought of as themes, as we continue to explore more facets of the
American character and how it affects life in the United States.
1. Para.4 seems to suggest that __________.
A. Americans are born with a sense of competition
B. the pressure of competition begins when one starts work
C. successful competition is essential in American society
D. competition results in equality of opportunities
2. Which of the following methods does the author mainly use in explaining
American values?
A. Comparison
D. Cause and effect
C. Definition
D. Process analysis
TEXT C
There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence. The first
is the sort of brain he is born with.
Human brains differ considerably , some being more capable than others. But
no matter how good a brain he has
to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he
has opportunities to learn. So the
second factor is what happens to the individual— the sort of environment in
which he is brought up. If an
individual is handicapped(不利 ) environmentally, it is likely that his brain
will fail to develop and he will never
attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable.The importance of
environment in determining an individual's intelligence can be demonstrated by
the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark. Being identical, the
twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same.
When the twins were three months old, their parents died, and they were
placed in separate foster(撫養) homes. Peter was raised by parents of low
intelligence in an isolated community
with poor educational opportunities. Mark was reared in the home of
well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child, sent to
good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated
intellectually. This environmental difference continued until the twins were
in their late teens, when they were
given tests to measure their intelligence. Mark's I. Q. was 125, twenty-five
points higher than the average and
fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal
opportunities, the twins, having identical brains,
would have tested at roughly the same level.
11.This selection can best be titled____________.
A. Measuring Your Intelligence
B. Intelligence and Environment
C. The Case of Peter and Mark
D. How the Brain Influences Intelligence
12.The best statement of the main idea of this passage is that _______.
A. human brains differ considerably
B. the brain a person is born with is important in determining his
intelligence
C. environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligence
D. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same
intelligence
13.According to the passage, the average I. Q. is_______.
A. 85 . B. 100 C. 110 D. 125
14.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion
that_______.
A. individuals with identical brains seldom test at the same level B. an
individual's intelligence is determined only by his environment
C. lack of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence
D. changes of environment produce changes in the structure of the brain
15.This passage suggests that an individual's I. Q. _______.
A. can be predicted at birth
B. stays the same throughout his life
C. can be increased by education
D. is determined by his childhood
TEXT D
Personality is ，to large extent, inherent --A-type parents usually bring about A-type offspring. But the
environment must also have a profound effect, since if competition is improtant to the parents, it is likely tobecome a major factor lives of their children.One place where children soak up A characteristics is school, which is, by its very nature, a highly competitiveinstitution. Too many schools adopt the "win at all costs" moral standard and measure their success by sportingachievements. The current passion for making children compete against their classmates or against the clockproduces a two-layer system, in which competitive A types seem in some way better than their B-type fellows.Being too keen to win can have dangerous consequences:remember that Pheidippides ,the first marathon runner,dropped dead seconds after saying:"Rejoice, we conquer!".By far the worst form of competition in school is the disproportionate
emphasis on examinations . It is a rareschool that allows pupils to concentrate on those things they do well.The merits of competition by examinationare somewhat questionable, but competition in the certain knowledge of failure is positively harmful.Obviously, it is neither practical nor desirable that all A youngsters change into 'B's. The would needs types,and schools have an important duty to try to fit a child's personality to his possible future employment. It is topmanagement.
16.According to the author, what factors contribute to the building of
personality?
A. inheritance
b. inheritance, competition and environment
c. competition
d. environment
17.Which of the following statements is not true according to the author of
the passage?
A.Schools usually adopt severe competitive policies.
B. Students are often divided by competition results.
C. School is place where children cultivate their characteristics.
D. The stronger desire for winning, the better.
18.The phrase "soak up" is closest in meaning to ____.
A. pull up
b. take up
c. take in
d. pull in
19.What attitude does the author hold toward examinations in schools?
A. positive
b. negative
c. doubtful
d. neutral
20.what suggestion does the author make concerning the management of
schools?
A. All students be made into competitive A types.
B. A child's personality be considered in regard to his possible future
job.
C. All students be changed into B characteristics.
D. Schools abolish all forms of examinations.
